Sewer-clean-out box



Feb. 18, 1930. BALL 1,747,211

SEWER CLEAN-OUT BOX Filed Feb. 17, 1928 lnveniar Patented Feb. 18, 1930 N ETEEZ STATS NORMAN Z. BALL, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA SEWER-CLEAN-OUT BOX Application filed February 17, 1928. Serial No. 254,960.

This invention relates to sewer clean-out boxes.

It sometimes happens that sewers, especially those of the small diameters, become clogged or blocked and for the purpose of removing the stoppage from such sewers cleanout boxes are connected in the sewers which rise to the surface of the ground and are there capped. In the usual type of clean-out box a pair of Y pipe joints facing toward each other are connected in the sewer line and pipes lead from these to the top of the ground. \Vhen an obstruction occurs in the sewer a wire or rod is forced down through one of these Ys and worked back and forth to break up the obstruction. If the obstruction is not on the side first attacked the wire or rod is withdrawn and inserted through the other Y. However, in a case of this kind an obstruction may exist between the two Ys and such an obstruction cannot be reached by either rod.

The principal and most important object of the present invention is to provide a novel form of sewer clean-out having but a single access opening at the top and so arranged that curved rods may be inserted to pass into the sewer either in the direction of flow through the sewer or against such direction as may be desired, the arrangement being such that all parts, of the sewer adjacent the clean-out can be reached without there being any blank space incapable of being reached by the rod or rods With the above and other objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed.

The figure is a vertical section through a sewer clean-out as constructed in accordance with this invention.

In the construction of this clean-out there is provided a pipe section 10 having a lateral branch 11 which is forked at its upper end to provide opposed curved arms 12 each having a hell or other joint means at its upper end as shown at 13. In connection with this part of the device there is provided an upper Y section having curved arms 14 which fit at their lower ends into the bells 13 and are joined at their upper ends in a neck 15, the top of which lies preferably flush with the surface of the earth or, if the portion of the sewer provided with a clean-out is exposed this top is arranged at a convenient height for operation. A suitable and watertight plug 16 is fitted in the neck 15 and over this is provided a cap 17. It will now be observed from an inspection of the figure that the branches 12 and 14 form arcuate continuations of each other with the concave side of the arcs confronting. Thus a curved wire indicated. by the dotted line W may be inserted through the neck 15 by the removal of the cap and plug and will follow the curve of the Y members in either direction at the will of the operator as can be seen by reference to the drawing. It will be observed that the path of such wires intersects directly below the clean-out so that all parts of the pipe 10 can be reached by the Wires. Thus no matter where the sewer may become blocked it may be reached through the single clean-out device, it being understood of course'that a clean-out is provided for each straight portion of the pipe and that where bends occur it may be necessary to use more than one clean.- out.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. A sewer clean-out comprising a pipe section having an integral Y branch extend ing laterally from the pipe section intermediate its ends, and an inverted Y section having its arms jointed to the arms of said Y branch, the arms of the Y section and branch being curved to form opposed confronting arcuate members when united the arms of said inverted Y-section terminating at the top in a single-opening neck portion arranged at the surface level of the ground, as and for the purposes described.

2. A sewer clean-out comprising a pipe section having an integral Y branch extending laterally from the pipe section intermediate its ends, and an inverted Y section having its arms jointed to the arms of said Y branch, said Y section having a neck projecting upwardly and terminating in a single opening arranged at the surface level of the ground and a removable closure for said opening.

3. A sewer clean-out comprising a pipe section having an integral Y branch extending laterally from the pipe section intermediate its ends, and an inverted Y section having its arms jointed to the arms of said Y branch, the arms of the Y section and branch being curved to form opposed confronting arcuate members when united, said Y section having a neck projecting upwardly and terminating in a single opening arranged at the surface level of the ground and a removable closure for said opening, as and for the purposes described.

i. A sewer clean-out of the class described, comprising a pipe section having a lateral branch forked in Y-shaped desi n, the ends of the arms of said branch being enlarged to form bell shaped joint portions, an inverted Y section having its arms fitted snugly in said bell portions of the Y branch and forming substantially continuations of the arms of the latter, a neck portion formed on the Y section extending upwardly therefrom and arranged in vertical alignment with the communicating opening between the pipe section and tne lateral Y branch, said neck portion being disposed at substantially the same distance from the junction of the arms of the Y section as the pipe section is distant from the junction of the arms of said Y branch, the neck portion of said Y-section terminating in a single opening arranged at the surface level of the ground to facilitate cleaning from above the ground, and a removable closure for said neck opening, as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

NORMAN Z. BALL. 

